Iron Moose

Haas and Benjamin managed it! Vengeance 2003, in a tag against Mysterio and Kidman. Christ, that was a great match.

...a second consecutive episode with no live Rollins/Reigns content? As with allegedly keeping Sasha off TV to not screw her booking up pre-Summerslam, this is a notable and weird model for programming.

This week's Main Event has a really weird Sasha/Summer match. The one recognizably-Sasha move that she hits is the running knees in the corner, everything else was strikes and a weird running pin. Even the Banks Statement was just a crossface -- no backstabber beforehand. Summer hits a fabulous DDT and Sasha takes a great dive off the apron into the post, but ... it felt odd seeing Summer control as much of the match as she did, moreso because Sasha's traditional arsenal wasn't at all represented. No straightjacket or neckbreaker, no double knee drop... I don't know if it's Summer being unfamiliar with Sasha's offense or Sasha losing her edge as a face or Sasha retooling her style for less impact a la post-injury Austin, but I think this is a match that should be looked at.

Del Rio reminded me of Mitt Romney in the backstage segment. This episode was mostly a joyless slog.

Orton and HHH.

I really hope they're not reaching for the Game of Thrones crossover audience.

Thumbs up to whoever came up with Rusev going "we are known as the League of Nations, but you might as well call us THE UNITED NATIONS!" (I guess that if they stuck together, they'd end up as the New World Order? )

Sasha has the Becky and Bayley matches. Charlotte has the Flair lineage. Becky should be the one to beat Asuka?

Apropos of nothing, I'm sad that after beating Bayley, Asuka didn't hold up four fingers and then bring one down. It might've taken away from the moment, but it also might've been the best kind of chilling.

Liv clicked for me in her performance against Eva as "local competitor". She had good banter, hit a neat DDT, and the crowd's visible groan seemed to be more at her loss than Eva's win. Her social media game (first as something like WhosYoDaddio and now as YouOnlyLivOnce, I think) also perform a goofy authenticity that endears her to viewers.

I am not a fan of Bayley's forced high-five bit when she doesn't attempt a high-five before it.

Great show aside from having the champ play FIP for the Wyatts.

...no mentions of Stephen Amell yet?

I saw the posted picture. Did I miss it on the show, or did he spend time on Wrestlemania plugging his instagram?

Really pleasantly surprised by the pre-show women's match. Some dissonance (Summer's attire was very Maryse, Lana's didn't really convey her character, Emma's nonsensical-but-awesome shoulderpads) but: Fox's kicks looked delightfully hurty, Eva pulled off a fine flying headscissor and replied to a YOU CAN'T WRESTLE with a fine suplex, Naomi's jogging kicks looked the best they've ever looked, Paige and Nattie's Hart Attack was an organic tribute, Naomi's crossbody into the ropes was NUTS...

Utterly baffling and (verging on?) hostile towards fans. Here's to an anarchic Raw. (also, props to the total divas tag!)

A friend of mine typoed Samosa Joe last night.

64 Sasha. 63 Bayley. I propose nuking this poll and rerunning it as Sasha, Bayley, Don't Make Me Choose.

biggest shock was Eva as the cavalry.

The sensical booking at this point is Sami, Miz and Ziggler being too occupied with Owens to notice one of the tier 2 particupants sprinting up and away with the belt.

If I can fantasy-book for a moment: they have three shows left to make the fans want to see 'taker retire. Have him assault everyone and then do a mass run-in to Old Yeller him. ... this will probably not come to pass.

I can't even. So on the bright side, AJ/Owens. On the other hand, it's a Smackdown rerun. Charlotte/Nattie, a Roadblock rerun (and the too-little-too-late attempts to rebuild Natural Selection for a Mania near fall). The IC title isn't being done many favors by this booking either. New Day begin (or continue?) to flounder, and I'm still not clear on why I should care about them and the League at Mania. ... a stipulation that continues to back the crowd into a corner for 'taker/Shane. ... the continued fiction of the Wyatts mattering...

That would make it a different 4 on 3...?

In a world where everyone is healthy, Bryan/Brie and Punk/AJ are the Internet semi, and Cena/Nikki are probably waiting for them in the final, having made it past Ryder and Emma. Also, that gives us a round with both Mojo and Dana bellowing encouragement at the same time. Be still my shipping heart.

I had a break that looked similar but narrowly avoided the ankle, and I was out for around six months... poor guy.